This invention relates to industrial inductive and capacitive non-contact proximity sensors, and more particularly, to a system for mounting sensors which provides protection from unintended contact and enhances operating capabilities.
In today's manufacturing setting, it is common to install solid state non-contact inductive and capacitive proximity sensors to monitor machine functions for their control by computer. Due to their relatively delicate construction, compared to industrial machine components, these sensors are vulnerable to destruction if they are struck by the machine components they are designed to detect but not contact. In many cases older machines are retro-fitted with computer controls and inductive/capacitive proximity sensors. Safe installation of these sensors in older machines, where inconsistent machine motions, due to wear and looser tolerances are encountered, is difficult. This is particularly true since these non-contact sensors have inherently small (2-30 mm) (0.079"-1.200") sensing ranges and must be mounted close to the part being monitored.